Is Reston Champps Space Getting a Hooters?

Those are some of the suggestions from Reston Now readers about what should go in the space formerly occupied by Champps at Plaza America.

How do you feel about chicken wings and waitresses in orange short-shorts?

The Reston rumor mill is abuzz with word that Hooters, the chain of sports bars with more than 400 locations in 28 countries, has checked out the space that has been empty since Champps abruptly closed in November. Hooters has locations nearby in Fairfax and Chantilly.

It’s not farfetched. The Plaza America space is large, expensive (read: chain friendly) and already laid out for a restaurant. There are thousands of office workers in walking or short-driving distance, who likely both appreciate watching SportsCenter at lunchtime as well as being waited on by Hooters Girls.

Here is what Hooters says are the best qualities about its servers:

Hooters Girls are the very essence of Hooters. Trained to excel in customer service, they provide the energy, charisma and engaging conversation that keep guests coming back. Much more than just a pretty face, Hooters girls have game. They’re intelligent and attentive – using their energy, experience and personalities to serve guests everywhere to live in the moment and take a break from the outside world.

Meanwhile, a Hooters spokesman tells Reston Now no lease has been signed — yet.

“We have no plans in Reston,” he said. “But we are definitely interested in opportunities in the area.”

As a perfectly straight dude, I am OK with Hooters. 🙂 But I 2nd a bookstore, Person-who-posted-below! So bummed they got rid of Barnes n’ Noble.

cnicola27 .

how bout a bookstore? there’s a not a single place to buy new books in reston anymore…

yep

Have u tried the internet. I believe they have that in reston

cnicola27 .

Yeah you’re wrong.. Good job

LesAnn620

I have two Kindles and my iPad and phone both have the Kindle app on them. I have Audible too. But nothing compares to browsing an actual bookstore and purchasing some new books and breaking their spines as you read them the first time. <3 Book lovers want their bookstores.

How about a doggy daycare??!! There isn’t one in Reston and it would be AWESOME!!!

LesAnn620

Agree with the other comments. Not a Hooters. 🙁 Would love Barnes & Noble to come back to Reston.

Concerned

Reston is not an appropriate place for Hooters. One need look no further than Cafesano in the South Lakes Village Center to see what the people want. If food is good there would be no need for the attire worn by the servers to attract people. There are so many other great alternatives for our beautiful community.

Biker Sherlock

I’m sure the new planned Red’s Table (old Lakeside location) will provide exactly what you are looking for. I;m looking forward to that as well. That’s not to say that we should not appreciate some diversity on our community. Not everyone is best served by a gross of cafe sano-esque bistros…. Embrace the multicultural change around you

Biker Sherlock

Awesome! This would be a great use of the space and actually bring a viable business to an anchor spot at Plaza America. Of course it will trigger the typical hypocritical Reston responses but I sincerely doubt the critics have recently or ever been to a Hooters. The days of the in bar tricycle races by the waitresses on much too small trikes are long gone (alas…) Hooters is a business and is run like one. It is a sports bar, not a strip club. Monday Night Football, pay per view boxing and more will make this place tick. A den of sin? Hardly. Perhaps those who think a bookstore would be more “fitting” should reconsider their opinion and realize that half of Reston would be buying their “Fifty Shades of Whatever” there (so much more classy…). During the summer most of the 15-25 year old walking outside at Plaza America will be wearing less than the waitresses inside Hooter…

Don;t forget that Hooters also likes to host Bike Night – feel free to let your stereotypes about bikers run wild…I’ll be the one having a good time smiling back at all the snarky looks…

Welcome to Reston Hooters! First round is on me!

Curtis

LOL!! Sure… a brick & mortar book store will occupy that space… that sounds perfectly reasonable for 2014. Hey, maybe they can get a new Tower records in there too because there is certainly nowhere in Reston to get CD’s AND cassettes. Perhaps a one hour photo developer and a video rental too!!

Limitless possibilities, Reston!!

Brendan Rau

You’re absolutely right. As much as I miss Barnes & Noble, its era of viability has passed. Amazon killed the walk-in bookstore.

Chazz

Ah Yes.. I was surprised to see Champs go …but welcome a NEW business like a HOOTERS that will keep the buzz going. One mile from the new metro about 1/2 mile form about 1000 office workers. Good call Plaza America MGT and HOOTERS. Its a break from the norm…books are on line and in PDF form. Barns closed up due to corporate restructuring and look what happened over there A Container Store ( where you pay 30% more for the same thing at Home Depot) I know…but I digress. Bring on the Hooters…Great Wings…fried pickles..multiple TV’s and a new perspective on Orange:) Oh Yea! Show me the Hooters!

Brendan Rau

I’d love to see Hooters thrive where Champs had been, but the outcry from Social Justice Warriors is bound to keep that from happening.

Debra J. Fidler

What about a restaurant named “My Package” with men dressed up in cup sizes promoting their Packages in skimpy butt cheek daisy dukes. Then men would understand how offensive this place is to real woman. Disrespectful to Reston right? So would Hooters be.